| GP458: hover over the image to enlarge the papyrus text | download HERE |
The earliest extant fragment of a bible MS, consisting of portions of four columns of a roll of papyrus extracted from the cartonnage of a mummy acquired in 1917 by Dr Rendel Harris. It is written in a fine book-hand, which can be assigned to the second century BC & contains Deut.xi.24-xxiv.3, xxv.1-3, xxvi.12, 17-19, xxviii.31-33. Small through these fragments are, their great age gives them a special interest, & it is noteworthy that they concur with the next earliest extant Septuagint MS (963) in agreeing with the vellum uncials Θ & A rather than B. Identified & edited by C H Roberts only two years ago.[1937?].
Fragment B is from Deut.25.1-3. What remains reads:
ΔΙΚΑΙΟΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΤΑΓΝΩΣιν ... | ... καΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ ΕΑΝ Αξιος ... | ... ασεβωΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΑΘΙΕΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΝ Εναντιον ... | ... αριθμΥ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΣΤΙΓΩΣΙΝ ... | ... ΤΕΣΣΕΡΑΚΟΝΤΑ ... | ... ΟΥ ΠΡΟΣΘΗΣΟΥΨιν ... | ... εαΝ ΜΑΣΤΙΓΩσαι ...
Deuteronomy 24.5 to 25.4 deals with various incidental laws. The relevant verses are highlighted HERE.
Find out more about P957 HERE & HERE.
